Prague Travel Guide

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Prague, or Praha as it's locally known, is the capital of the Czech Republic. Its historic old center is hospitable to tourists, as the vast majority of the city's sites are within walking distance. In fact, many visitors to Prague never venture outside the old town to the sprawling modern city beyond. That's okay, because there's enough to see and do in old Prague to keep you occupied for quite awhile.

What to do

Prague's Old Town, the oldest part of the city, sits on the right bank of the Vltava River. There's plenty to see, including the popular hangout the Old Town Square and the nearby astronomical clock (crowds gather every hour to see the puppets move). The architecture of historic Prague is distinctive, partly because the city suffered far less damage during the war than other cities, so its interesting buildings remain interesting to this day.

Nearby, you'll want to take a stroll on Prague's most famous bridge over the Vltava - Charles Bridge. Before the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the bridge was pretty but lifeless. Now, the days find it full of musicians, artists and vendors.

The Jewish Quarter (Josefov) is adjacent to the Old Town, and is the historic Jewish ghetto. The collection of synagogues (along with a few other important buildings) is called the Jewish Museum, and there's a combined ticket for all of them. The Jewish Quarter is remarkably well-preserved, especially since Prague was occupied by the Nazis, but there's an explanation for that. The Nazi intent was to set that part of the city aside as a museum of an extinct race - so in a twisted way, we have the Nazis to thank for the preservation of the Jewish buildings and relics.

Of particular note in the Jewish Quarter are the Spanish Synagoguge (a Moorish style building that's beautifully deocorated inside), the Jewish Cemetery (the oldest in Europe, where people are buried in layers for lack of space and there are estiamtes of more than 12,000 people buried within its walls) and Franz Kafka's house. Europe's oldest active synagogue, the Old New Synagogue, is also in the Jewish Quarter.

Beyond the Old Town, Prague Castle sits atop the highest point on the left bank of the Vltava, and is the largest ancient castle in the world (ask Guinness). From the Castle's find perch you'll get a great view of central Prague, and inside the Castle's walls you'll find the lovely St. Vitus Cathedral. The New Town's biggest draw is the bustling Wenceslas Square. And architecture buffs will want to check out Prague's Dancing House, nicknamed the Fred and Ginger Building, co-designed by Vlado Miluni and Frank Gehry.

Getting there

You can book a flight into Prague's Ruzyne International Airport (code: PRG), which is about 10 km outside the city. Airfares are usually reasonable, but you might also consider flying into Frankfurt and arriving by train. Prague's central location makes it a great stop for those using a Eurail Pass.

Where to stay

There are plenty of hotels in Prague, but they aren't as cheap as one might expect. There are also quite a few hostels in Prague, which definitely help people on a backpacker's budget.